Lynn Fels is currently co-ordinating editor of Educational Insights, an on-line journal sponsored by the Centre for Cross-Faculty Inquiry at the University of British Columbia. Her work focuses on performative inquiry, teacher education, and curriculum theory, with an emphasis on integrating drama across curriculum. She teaches graduate courses both on-campus and in the Faculty of Education off-campus Master’s of Education cohort programs.

Abstract

This article explores the generative relationship between complexity, performance, and teacher education. In a moment of crisis, a drama educator comes to recognize the potential of role drama as a teaching strategy to introduce student teachers to the complexity of teaching and learning with students. With the assistance of cantankerous judge and a restless jury, the author illustrates how exploratory spaces of performance bring participants to the “edge of chaos” where new learning and insights emerge. The use of role drama as a strategy in teacher education creates valuable learning opportunities for student teachers that encourage mindful awareness and reflective practices.